Almost There
by SeeJayKayy
Summary: Cale, Gale's younger brother. Kierra. Fight for the win. And a few unexpected things upon the way. Cale/ Kierra, Gale/ Katniss
1. The Beggining

A/N. I just got THG today, and I must admit. Gale is love. So… why not create a story about… his little brother (Cale, he's totally my character. Hehe) ? Weird, I know. But come on. You'll love it. So… Review!

BTW. Kierra's POV in this is extremely short. I think you need to get to know her more. She an angelic type, but with sass. She's also loud and bubbly, not in this chapter, but in chapters to come! She has gone through a lot though, so she is a little angry. And maybe a little depressed? No. Cale is more quiet and thoughtful, but rebellious. Like a little Gale! :] Handsome, smart, talented. Yup. That's Gale! (And Cale.)

---------------------------------------------

Cale's POV

It had been a year since the last Hunger Games. Almost a year, actually. Just two weeks away from the Reaping.

My brother, Gale, was now too old to be a contender. However, at 15 years old, I wasn't. And my name was now in the large, glass bowl twenty two times. He used to take all of the slips, for our tessarae. But now my other brother and I must share the forty two slips and counting. Gale was out hunting for food, preparing for the Reaping.

My brother, who was sixteen, Atlan was lounging about. Unlike my brother and I, whom were the most sought after in the District (not to brag…) Atlan was… grungy. He didn't do anything at all, and just laid around.

Not really at all what the girls around here wanted.

"Hey… Cale? Yeah. That Kierry girl isn't gonna like you if you stare off into space like that." He snickers. I laugh inwardly at the irony.

"Of course. Because Kierr-_a_ would go for you, huh?"

"Yeah. But she's two years younger. I prefer to go for the older women."

"Okay. Anyways, Katniss was two years younger than Gale."

"Look where that got them." Silence fell upon the two of us. Katniss and Gale were best friends. Then… Katniss went to the Hunger Games. She and a boy from District 12 fell in 'love' on the show. However, Gale really did love her. And it broke his heart. It was complicated, and it still continues. She and Peeta are not together anymore due to the complications.

Could it really turn out like that with me and Kierra? I shake my head. She wouldn't even go for a guy like me. She's too pretty. She came from District Three, which is known widely for the beautiful people that live there.

"Whatever." Atlan's low voice croaked out.

"Yeah. I'm going out. Today's Gale's day to hunt… but I'll go sell some of the stuff I caught." I grab a burlap sack filled with my catches from yesterday. Just a few plump squirrels and a rare find- a nice baby bear. That should get me tons.

"The hob?"

"Uh huh."

"Tell your girlfriend I say hi." Atlan sneered and turned back to the T.V. Lucky him, it always worked when he wanted it to.

"She's- not my girlfriend. We're friends. Just because you can't get a girlfriend doesn't mean you can trash talk my best friend. Who happens to be a girl."

"Oh yeah. Okay." He examined his left hand carefully, as if to make me seem unimportant. I shove my worn brown boots on and slam the door as I exit.

How dare he? He knows Kierra. They used to be friends. We all used to be friends. Me, Gale, Katniss, Atlan, Kierra. But the Hunger Games changed everything. Everyone was so relieved that the Capitol announced they might shut off the Hunger Games. But did they?

No. And now Kierra, Atlan, and I are all eligible to go that huge Arena and die. And Katniss and Peeta Melark are on the run from the Capitol.

Kierra and I met a long time ago. Well, it seems like a long time. It actually was two years ago. I was fourteen, she was thirteen.

-Flashback-

The smell of new books, pencils, and paper lining the wooden shelves of the High School of District 12's Square is almost tangible. Kids are running around, trying to get the last bit of fun in before the teachers can ruin it. The freshmen, like me, are getting situated, looking around for familiar faces.

I stand with my brothers, and their friend, Katniss Everdeen. Girls stare in the halls, whispering to each other. Atlan and Gale talk about the upcoming Hunger Games. Katniss stares at a locker.

And then the talk starts. Gale mentions a new girl in town. Some girl from District 2 or maybe even 3. Either way, she's bound to be loaded with money. And most likely stuck up. I trace the pattern of wood paneling on the school's outer walls absentmindedly, not paying any attention to the conversation my brothers are talking about.

Katniss stares at me.

"Don't you want to know more about her?" She asks, tilting her head in an ever so slight way, that makes me blush.

"No." Why can't I ever conjure up anything more than that when I'm near Katniss?

"Why? You might like her."

"I already like someone." Great. Just admit to her you like her.

"Oh." She nods, smiling as if she understands. She turns to Gale. Gale.

"Let's go to class." She looks up at his and he nods, turning to say bye to me. Atlan joins them and Gale and Katniss join hands.

When did they ever join hands? Suddenly, the whole hall goes quiet. And I turn to look with them all.

And I gasp. Because coming down the hall, is nothing more than an angel. Well. Not really. But this girl looks like one. She has dark, straight hair, and pale skin, with dark black eyes. She looks like Katniss, only much prettier.

Why is she coming towards me? Her eyes dart hesitantly between me and the small slip of paper in her small hands.

I'll never forget the first words she said to me.

"I think this is my locker." Her voice echoes throughout the halls, filling it with a pure melodic sound. Unconsciously, I move out of the way without a response. She smiles and whispers a 'thank you.' I merely nod.

I can't talk, really. My stomach's in knots and my brain hurts from trying to conjure up a simple sentence. She looks as if she's trying to figure things out here. They most definitely aren't cushy like they were in District 3.

"Do you know where Class Twenty B is?" She scratches her head, and her hair flounces up and down.

I can't answer. Could I even move? I try. I nod.

"Uhm… thanks. Maybe you could walk me?" Her sweet voice floats down the halls, while girls and boys alike still watched, stunned.

She grabbed my hand, and she blushes. I walk stiffly with her all the way to class. We sit next to each other.

And then it was the introduction time. The time which new people to the school have to come up and introduce themselves. Since District 12 never had new people, this ritual was extremely pointless. But I was interested to hear her story.

This girl… who was sitting next to me. I didn't even know her name. Then, quite suddenly, she stood up.

"My name is Kierra Tyn. I'm from District 3. I left because I got kicked out." She sat down, and instantly the room was filled with murmurs. I nudg her in the ribs, only gently.

"They kicked you out?" I realize this was the first real thing I said to her.

"Yes. They didn't want me anymore." She stares ahead, fiddling with her long hair.

That shut me up. But who wouldn't want her? I held my hand out to her, and she smiled. She hesitantly put her hand out, and wrapped two fingers around my hand.

-Flashback End-

"Cale!" I heard a sweet voice ring through the Square. I turn around to see a girl with long black pigtails approach me. I smiled.

"Hey Kierra." She approaches me with a scowl on her face. I give her a smile.

"Cale. The Hunger Games are coming up."

"So?"

"We gotta get all prepped and stuff." She sat on the cold pavement, not caring that her blue skirt might get ruined. I sat down next to her.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just wanna." She stared up at the sky.

I roll my eyes and rub my neck, something I do a lot.

"You know, just in case." She laughs, and looks over to the Hob. "You here to trade?" I nod. She turns around, just in time to see my older brother Gale approach, holding a deer and a few squirells. Looks like he hit it big.

"Gale!" She smiles brightly at him, as he wanders over to where we sat.

"Kierra." He nodded, as she hugs him. She had confessed to me over again that she liked my older brother. If you as me, he and I look alike. I'm just younger.

"Hey." I said, not looking up at him. He pat me on the head and laughs.

"Wanna go get some bread? We can trade our stuff." I nod.

"Yeah." I got up from where I sat and brush off dirt from my pants. Gale looks at Kierra and furrows his eyebrows.

"You wanna come?" She ponders this for a moment, then shakes her head.

"No. I'm pretty sure my dad wants me home." Mentioning her dad, she pauses. She knows Gale isn't fond of the richer people. And she is one of those people. "I'll just leave. Uhm…" she hesitates and looks at me. "I'll see you later."

She waves, and slowly pulls her two braids out, letting her hair cascade down her back. I watch it flounce up and down until she's out of sight.

"Cale." Gale's deep, booming voice wakes me from my trance.

"Yeah?"

"Come on. We gotta go." He tugged my arm and I sighed.

"Okay." As we wandered down the path to the hob, I wondered if I should, just in case if I did get picked, I should train for the Hunger Games.

"Gale?" He turned to look at me.

"Yuh huh?"

"Could you show me how to hunt?" He smiled.

"You know all the things I know."

"Then could you teach Kierra?" He looks confused.

"Why?"

"Because she's worried she's going to get picked for the Hunger Games." At the mere mention of the Hunger Games, Gale's face darkens. He sighs, walks along, and kicks at small rocks on the edge of the pathway.

"I suppose. But she has a small chance of going."

"Primrose was picked."

"Yeah. But Katniss went." His face contorted into a mask of pain, and he sighed. Katniss was the girl he loved who went to the Hunger Games. And then she fell for the bakers son, Peeta Melark. The boy with the bread. We were silent for the rest of the trip. We traded in the squirrels for a nice load of bread. From the new baker.

Peeta's family didn't need the money anymore. They were free to live in prosperity.

Carrying a slightly stale piece of bread in one hand, and a small basket of biscuits in the other, Gale looked towards the sky.

"I'll do it." I smiled at him in thanks. "I don't want her to die. I love her." He said. I felt a pang in my chest. Did he like her too? The way she liked him? He blushed violently, and said, "Not like that."

I sighed a silent sigh of relief. Why did I feel so protective of her?

-Kierra's POV-

It was nearing the Reaping. Four days away. And counting. For all the training in the world with Cale and Gale, I still wouldn't feel secure in competing. I was still a skinny stick, only a thing to be looked at.

People always think I'm too delicate to be touched. Bony wire on a porcelain frame, with pale skin and a glowing undertone. Made of china, put high on a pedestal. People don't know, however, that for the last few weeks, I have been training. Alone and with Gale and Cale.


	2. Aim Shoot!

Authors Note: I have so many ideas for this. I want to go in the direction of Cale and Kierra not liking each other at first? You know, the PERFECT guy, liking the girl and not getting her. :] just takin this from your reviews! :]]]] And maybe to have Cale and Gale get in a fight. Like, a massive fight. :] Tell me your ideas! Oh, and a little spoilers on what I think might happen in Catching Fire!

--------------------------------------------------

-Cale's POV-

It was my day to hunt, and as I was walking down the path of the thick, lush green carpet of the forest my brother and I had walked down so many times before, I saw a dark figure in the green foliage. It darted through the trees, almost like a bird. I left it alone. Better for me not to bring attention to myself, especially because what I was doing was illegal. For all I knew, it could be a dirty Capitol spy.

I patiently waited for something to come by. Maybe a small deer if I was lucky. And out of the corner of my eye, I saw something flying around in the trees gently. A bird, possibly. That would give me a half full stomach for the night. I smiled, licked my lips, and wiped the thin layer of perspiration that had formed on my forehead. I waited in anticipation to see what the animal would do next. Hunting was like a game; always waiting to see what your opponent would do next, watching. When I realized the animal didn't see me, I smiled, grabbed a knife from my pocket, and stared. I wasn't as good as my brother, and I wasn't a wizard at using a bow and arrow like Katniss, but I was pretty good at using a knife.

I wrapped my knuckles around the shaft of the knife, feeling the leather I had wrapped around it. My hands were white, from gripping so hard. I decided to throw as I had the chance to, and silently approached the animal. The leaves crunched under my feet, and I hid before the animal could see me. From my place behind a tree, I could see that the outline of the animal was not a bird, but something else. I was at a decent distance, so I threw.

The knife flew, in a perfect line, straight at my victim. It was then that I heard a human's loud cry and a soft thud on the ground, that I had finally realized what I had hit.

-Gale's POV-

It was a slow trading day at the Hob. Everything I had caught the day before was selling slowly, which was unusual for such a time. It was right before the Reaping, for god's sakes. People should have been snatching these things up. But I knew why no one was leaping for their nice, tender squirrel. Or a small deer's leg.

Ever since the previous Hunger Games, the people of District 12 were victims. People who went to the Hunger Games this year were bound to die first. The Capitol hated us, because of Peeta. And, of course, Katniss. The rebellion was basically, blamed on them. They were the poster children of it. The rebels. It was rare to ever see her, now that she and Peeta had run off together. I joined, for a while.

But why? For what? They were losing a fight. The Capitol would always win. The trackers left in their arms led the Capitol right to them, no matter where they went, the Capitol would follow. I traced a small indent on my left arm, a mark, a reminder of what had happened. The Capitol found us. And they left me, to get shot. To die. Katniss probably doesn't even know I'm still alive. I shook my head, trying to forget about that day.

-Flashback-

A man with sunglasses on arrived to us. Katniss smiled and shook his hand. He grinned, showing a layer of razor sharp teeth. Something about him chilled me to the bone. He held out his hand to me now, and I shook it, gingerly, as if one wrong movement would set him off. He tipped his hat to Peeta, who smiled. Katniss turned to me to explain he was a crucial part of the rebellion. His tinted Rayban sunglasses glinted in the sun as we moved swiftly through tall grasses.

"He's the brains. He used to work for the Capitol, and he tells us all the inside stuff." She nodded, referring to the man. He turned to see us, and yet again flashed those bright, sharp teeth. I shivered unconsciously. "He tends to try and remain aloof, but he's open with us." She continued. I nodded, as if I understood.

"So…why'd he leave the Capitol?" She shook her head, as if she too was puzzled.

"I don't know. None of us know." She ran ahead to go talk to him, as if I was some sort of nonentity compared to him. He pulled a map out of his back pocket, pointing to a large mass of land. Peeta next to him nodded, and they pulled ahead, veering off the direction I had planned.

"Where are we going?" I yelled, hoping to get an explanation.

"Georg has an idea!" Peeta yelled to me. I rolled my eyes, and jogged faster to catch up with them.

We neared a clearing, and the man with the sunglasses, apparently, 'Georg,' had a bad knee. So this was where we were to rest for the night. Which was, of course, pretty stupid. A clearing? Where we were in the dead middle of nothing? No places to hide, just short grasses and weeds. Peeta and Katniss set up camp. Katniss unrolled my bag, then Georg's. She patted my bag.

"No sleep for you tonight, Gale?" I smiled, and ran up to the bag.

"I'm exhausted, that's all." She nodded.

"Thank god for sleeping." She closed her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering every so often. I would have gone to sleep, but Peeta's loud snoring sounded like a foghorn. And then there was Georg. I rested my head on my shoulders, and peered up at him. He was at the fire, peering at maps, talking to himself.

"Whatcha up to?" I asked. He jolted up, obviously unaware that I had been watching him for the last few minutes.

"Erm.. um. Nothing." He touched his ear and shoved the maps into a brown satchel. I nodded, yawning sleepily. "Go to sleep." He urged, still by the fire.

"What… what about you?" I said, half awake.

"I'll be there in a minute." And soon, I was asleep, only waking a few times to the snoring of Peeta.

-Kierra's POV-

I flew free between the trees, blindly full of bliss. Feeling the wind rush through my hair and flying between branches and leaves was exhilarating. I laughed, and ran through the branches as if I were a bird. Because I was so tiny, I fit in right with the animals.

When the birds saw me, they sang their familiar, high pitched songs, as if I blended right in with the foliage, the nature, and I smiled right back. I was good at this, this 'flying.' I smelled the familiar scent of leaves and dry bark, the scents wafting up to my nose. It was like heaven, being up perched in the branches. Not too high up, close to the ground, but not too close either. Perfect.

And then it hit me, blindly, like a thousand bullets being cast into my body in one spot. I hit the ground, creating a defect in the piles of dried leaves underneath me. I screamed. Not in pain, but in the fear that someone would find me enjoying this. Someone would find me, and take me away from my safe haven. They'd lock me up or send me away.

Black started to edge around my eyes, coming slowly first, and then swallowing me up whole. I was falling deep under the cascading waves of darkness, bobbing up and down, in and out. The black started fading to grey for a moment, but ceased.

And then, I got swallowed under by the waves of darkness.

-Gale's POV-

It was daybreak, and Georg looked as if he had not slept at all. He looked, simply put, ill. So we rested another day. And another day. And finally, a third day. He would rest about, as if he was waiting for someone to come rescue him. On the third day, we decided the following morning, no matter how sick he was, we would have to go on the move again. The Capitol was following us, and staying in one place would definitely not be good.

Around noon, Georg was showing signs of recovery. He would help boil water and clean pots and pans. He could eat heartily and was moving around. In fact, he seemed to be excited, jumpy for something to come. And then Peeta looked up to the sky, shivering in fear.

"Peeta…" Katniss started hesitantly, touching his shoulder lightly.

What he said next can be summed up in many ways, but the simplest is what he said exactly:

"The Capitol is near."

-Continued in Chapter 3-

:] Cliffy! I hope this sends chills down your spine!


	3. Aim Shoot! Part 2

AN: YAY! I like how this story is moving along. The first chapter sucked, but I'm getting the hang of this. :] love!

-----------

-Gale's POV-

Katniss started shaking Peeta's arms. Georg whimpered. And I remember standing, frozen in fear, as Katniss took Peeta's wrist and dragged him across the forest. She yelled something at me, but I couldn't hear her. I tried reaching for Georg, maybe we could escape together.

But when I turned him around, he had a smile plastered wide across his face. His eyes were a dark shade of brown, almost black. And I saw a pack of Capitol officials approach us from the clearing. He pinned my arms around my back, it was all I could do but wait now, wait for my inevitable fate.

"This is one of them." Georg said, in an accent I pinned down clearly as Capitol accent. So he was one of them! This was all a trick! I turned my head to see Katniss and Peeta, to see if they had gotten away, and sighed in relief when they did. One man stepped forward, and grabbed my neck, slightly, gently, as if I was easily broken.

"No. This is not. This is a District 12 runaway." He said, sneering. He looked down on me. "Get him back to his plebian hometown. I specifically asked to see the winners. This boy obviously isn't one of them." Georg looked as if he could scream.

"So…" he said, in shock.

"You failed to get us that Peeta boy or Katnissa."

"Katniss," I mumbled. The man turned to me.

"Excuse me?" I felt my face turn red.

"Nothing, sir." He nodded, pacing around on the ground.

"I want you, Georg, to go take him back to District 12. He has nothing we want. He's just a want to be rebel. Look- no achievements, no honors." He pointed to my shirt, which was bare of medals and awards. Georg nodded.

"Fine, sir." The man nodded, and his pack of men turned away, into the forest, still on the hunt for Katniss and Peeta. Georg shook me.

"You… you're lucky! Do you know how much I would be praised, honored to find a rebel? You're a fake! A wannabe! You tricked me!" He was angry, I could tell. "If they won't finish you off, I will." He took a black shiny device I soon learned was a gun. He caressed the smooth black surface of the gun, then faced me.

"Would you like to have a head start?" He teased, his smile appearing again, sending chills down my spine.

Instinctually, I ran towards an opening in the forest. He lunged to grab me, but luckily, I was fast. He loaded his gun, and shot. I looked back, to see that he was cursing. He must have had bad aim. He was cursing and fiddling with his gun. I heard one, two, three, four, five shots. Cursing. Another two gun shots, and more loud cursing as he couldn't get it right. I looked to see that I was almost there… and then I felt it. I felt the hard metal pellet pierce my skin. I cried out in pain, but kept running. If I could be safe in there, if I could hide, I would survive. I had a map, and maybe I could go back to District 12.

I ran fast, faster, until I felt the leaves brushing my face. Even then I did not stop, only until I could run no more. Because when man is chasing you, because he wants your blood, you do not stop until your instincts tell you you can.

-Cale POV-

There was only one person I knew who would scream like that. She screamed like there was no physical pain, but mental pain. And I felt her pain, as I was running in denial to my prey. It couldn't be her, because she never came into the forest. But only she could fly so gracefully between the leaves. And I shook my head as I ran over to the spot.

I gasped in horror as I saw blood coming out in a steady trail out of Kierra. She was unconscious, her eyes closed. If it weren't for the blood it would look as if she was sleeping. There was pain etched into her face, and I checked to see where my knife had hit her.

Only in the side, thank god, not near any bone, or vital things. I tore my shirt, wrapping it against her side so it would stop the bleeding. I knew that Katniss's mother would usually get an ointment from Keru leaves, Intoo herbs, and something else to treat cuts. I could easily get Keru leaves and Intoo herbs, but I needed to know what else! I racked my brain for the different things Katniss's mom used.

Going back to a specific talk I had with Prim, Katniss's sister, I finally remembered. Prim reminded me that 1 Keru leaf, 2 Intoo herbs, and 3 Bur Bur stems would cure a cut, just in case I cut myself.

I lay Kierra down gently, and ran in search of the ingredients.

-Kierra's POV-

I fought desperately against the crashing of the waves that hit me so carelessly. They wrecked my body and kept me struggling to stay alive. Not once, but twice I felt myself slipping deeper into the ocean of black.

I heard feet approaching, and then I felt my limp body being held close against a warm chest. When they held me, sometimes I would see white blinding me, over taking the darkness and trying to save me. When they let me go, and I heard their footsteps hastily run away, I screamed silently.

The waves crashed mercilessly now that my savior was gone. I had no one to protect me, and I held on to nothing for dear life. Under and over I went, the current splashing against my face. And sometimes I came up for air, to fight the darkness.

And then, sputtering darkness, I was immersed in blinding, blithe light.

My savior had come back.

AN: Sorry for the short chapter. I felt this and the previous chapter were two-parts, so yeah. Anyways, I'll update soon (hopefuilly) It's my bday tommorow, and the best gift would be if you guys REVIEWED! (or magically got me a ton of readers. haha) :] I'll try to have another chapter up tonight!


	4. Waking Up

AN: I love this story so much. But no one loves it! ;p (sigh) that's a hint- REVIEW! Birthday presents are REVIEWING. Haha. My bday is tomorrow, btw. *hint hint* OH. And btw, I changed chapter one. So go read it. Nothing major, but I needed to change it in order for the plot to be effective. So if you HAVE read chapter one before, go read the new version. Or just try to erase the old version out of your mind and THEN read it. And for those of you who are reading this story for the first time, never mind. :] Anyways, READ AND REVIEW. :]

-------------

-Kierra POV-

Waking up from a sea of darkness is like walking into a completely crowded room full of people you don't know. You know there are people surrounding you by the thousands, but still feel empty. You don't know anyone. No one is coming up to you, screaming because they're excited to see you. You're just there, floating around for quite a while. Not really alive, not really dead. Floating between two worlds.

I think it must have been 10 minutes before I realized Cale was perched next to me, wrapping something around my waist. I surveyed the scene, but still a little dizzily. I gasped when I saw his shirt was ripped.

"Cale! Did someone hurt you?!" I gripped his shoulder, and in doing so, I felt a pain run through my side, coursing through my veins. The pain infected my body, made me weak. He shook his head, and held me steady.

"Uhm… no. Not exactly." I glanced up at him impatiently.

"Well then what happened? Why do you have half a shirt on?" He looked puzzled, and looked to the ground, shaking his head.

"Kierra… are you sure you don't remember what happened?" Trying to see what was going on, I looked into his eyes. He gave his emotions away through his eyes, even though he hated to admit it. His eyes were filled with pain. I nodded, eager to hear why my side suddenly hurt. "Why don't you look down first?" His voice rang through the forest as I looked down to see my side, ripped open, held together only with a paste of herbs and plants and a grey cloth. Presumably Cale's tee shirt.

"What… what did this to me?" His head was cast down shamefully. I gasped in horror as I saw the bloody knife in his hand. "Were you trying to kill me?!" I tried standing up, but it hurt to bad. His eyes went from remorse to pure shock in a second.

"Never! I would never want to kill you. But I was hunting. And you looked like…"

"What?" I interjected. "A piece of meat?!" I pulled at my arms, to show how skinny I was. "Because I don't look like a fat man, do I?!" I screamed. I knew half the forest could hear me. Cale knew he was pushing all the wrong buttons, though, considering my past.

"No! Kierra, if you could shut up and listen, you'd understand." He sighed. I knew I wasn't doing him any good, so I tried my best.

"You looked like a bird. The way you darted between the trees so skillfully. And so I shot." When I looked at his face, I saw tears lining the bottoms of his eyes like liquid curtains framing his soul windows. He never cried.

"Oh." And it wasn't spoken, because it never was, but we both knew that all was forgiven.

"I don't ever want to kill you. Never. I will never ever kill you." And I knew that Cale would never lie to me, so I smiled and took his hand.

"Will you take me home?"

-Cale POV-

It was quiet in the forest. Kierra had gone back home, with some help from me. Luckily, her father wasn't home often, so he wouldn't be able to ask what happened, and her cut wasn't too bad. It'd be better in one to two days. So now, I was alone in the forest, except for the few creatures that dare to be out, waiting to be hit by the cold metal I would throw.

I was scared to hunt again, I hate to admit. What if I hit another person? I shook my head. The possibility of shooting two people in one day was… a million to one. I laughed silently to myself, shaking my head.

Gripping my knife, and aiming at what I made sure was a deer, I drew back my arm, clenched my teeth together, and threw. I hit it, perfectly. Rejoicing silently in my head, I walked over to my kill. I was half prepared to see a human, but let out a sigh of relief when I saw that it was just a deer.

It was a small deer, but fortunately for me, it was a deer. I quickly packed it up, and cleaned my blade. It glinted in the sunlight. I glanced up, to see a tiny bit of light peeking through the leaves and the sky high, never ending trunks of hundred year old trees. At this time of day, it was odd to see the sun in the forest. It should have been setting.

I decided to switch to my bow and arrows, trying to sharpen my skills. I waited for what seemed like forever to find a small animal dart quickly through the leaf ridden floors of the forest. I licked my lips, waiting to hit the prey in a fatal attack.

I let my bow go, flinging the sharp wood soaring through the air, poised, ready to hit the creature. And it did. I walked over and packed up what looked to be a squirrel, I couldn't know, I wasn't paying any attention.

I was thinking about what it was that my brothers had told me when I was little, maybe about eight or nine. They told me that when the sun stayed up longer than usual, daylight savings was near. And when daylight saving was near, they told me, the Reaping was coming up.

And the Reaping meant the Hunger Games.

-Gale POV-

I had to admit, I was jittery. Tracing the small dent on my arm was not physically painful, but mentally. I put my thoughts aside, hoping to forget those memories. Shuddering, I lay the deer onto the table, hoping to get a good asking price.

"Anyone want a good, fresh deer?" I saw a head full of black hair pop up, right next to it was a blond, shaggy haired head. And instantly, I knew.

"I do!" Katniss stepped up to me, beaming, and hugged me. Peeta stood by, looking annoyed.

"What about the rebellion?"

"On hiatus. The Capitol caught us. They're forcing us to mentor for the Hunger Games." She whispered this to me, as if she planned on escaping later on. Of course.

"Crushed." She said, louder this time, as if to fool everyone else. The people stopped moving, and just stared.

"So… how about that deer now?" She grinned, showing how much… better she looked. As if that were possible.

"Yeah. Here."

"I've missed you." She said, giving me money in exchange for the animal.

"I wish I could say the same."

-short chapter, I'm sorry! I'll do better next time. This isn't one of my best chapters. Boo hoo.


End file.
